Ryan Thompson Named Air Force Baseball Assistant Coach
11/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Nov. 3, 2003
USAF Academy, Colo. - Ryan Thompson, formerly an assistant coach at Bethel College (Mishawaka, Ind.), has been named assistant coach for the Air Force Academy baseball team, recently-hired head coach Mike Hutcheon announced.
Thompson comes to the Academy after serving the past three years under Hutcheon at Bethel College as an assistant coach. Thompson, who handled the pitching staff at Bethel, will also serve as pitching coach for the Falcons.
"I have worked with Ryan as a former player and now a coach," Hutcheon said. "He is a winner and I feel privileged to have in on the staff."
In his three years as a coach at Bethel, Thompson's pitching staff has garnered numerous accolades. In 2002, the Bethel pitching staff ranked second nationally in earned-run average as the Pilots went on to win the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Championship. The 2003 Conference Champions also ranked nationally in strikeouts and hits-per-game allowed. Thompson has coached six all-conference and three All-American pitchers. Three Pilot pitchers have also been selected in the Major League Baseball draft under his guidance.
"It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of the baseball coaching staff here at the Academy," Thompson said. "I am excited about the opportunity to work with the Falcon players and look forward to building a successful program here."
Prior to his coaching stint at Bethel, Thompson was an NAIA and NCCAA All-American right-hander for the Pilot baseball team. Thompson also garnered Great Lakes All-Region and all-conference honors, and was selected to the AIA Collegiate Summer Team in 1999.
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